Switch-frog.



J. W. WALLS.

4 swmm FROG. APPLIOLTIOI FILED IL], 31, 1910.

Patented Mar.14',1.9 1-1.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' Aliomey JAMES W. WALLS, 0F TRINIDAD, COLORADO.

SWITCH-FROG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

Application filed January 31, 1910. Serial No. 541,118.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WV. \VALLS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Trinidad, county of Las Animas, State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Frogs, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a switch frog and particularly to means forlocking the swing rail in its shifted positions and pre venting itsoperation while a train is passing over the same.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improvedconstruction of operating and locking mechanism for a pivoted switchfrog to prevent its operation when the wheels of a train upon the railsare passing over the switch. 1

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel features defined by the appendedclaims.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a plan of the invention applied; Fig. 2 is anenlarged plan of the swing rail; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of thedetector bar; Fig. 1 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 5 is a detailperspective of one of the angle plates for the swing rail; Fig. 6 is asection on line 66 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 2;and Fig. 8 is a similar section on line 88 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

The numeral 10 indicates the rails of the main track and 11, the railsof the switch track. One of the switch rails is provided with the usualswitch point 12 mounted for movement toward and from the main rail 10and one of the main rails is provided with a similar movable switchpoint 13 and adapted to be shifted relative to one of the switch rails11. At the point where the switch rail crosses the main rail, a swingrail 14 is mounted and adapted to be shifted into alinement with eitherthe main or switch tracks. This swing rail is mounted upon a base plate15 having a depressed circular pivoting portion 16, substantially asshown in my Patent #909,351, dated January 12, 1909. At each side of theswing rail 14 an angle plate 17 is disposed. This plate has a horizontalflange 18 provided with an aperture 19 and a depressed portion 20 whichbears upon the circular pivoting depression 16 as shown in Fig. 8 so asto provide for a proper swing of the rail. The portions 18 rest upon theupper face of the plate 15 and provide a further bearing for the swingrail. This rail is held in position by a' strap or bar 21 extendingthrough the apertures 19 and secured to the base.

plate as shown in my patent before referred to. The angle plates 17 areprovided at each end with a bolt housing 22 preferably formed integraltherewith. The main and switch rails at their ends next the swing railare spaced by a block 23 provided with a bolt aperture 24 and adapted toreceive a bolt 110d 25 which passes therethrougli. These rails are alsomounted upon the ends of the base plate 15 in any desired manner. Theswing rail is adapted to be operated by the connecting rods 26 extendingto the opposite ends thereof and pivoted at their outer ends to thecrank levers 27 which are connected to the shifting rod 28 which extendsto a crank lever 29. A rod 30 extends from this lever to any desiredpoint for op erating the switch, for instance the switch stand31. Theswitch points are connected to the rod 30 so as to be shifted in unisonwith the swing rail. If desired, the switch track may be provided with aderailer 32 which is connected to a crank lever 33 from which a rod 34extends to a crank lever From the lever 35 a connecting rod 36 extendsto the swing rail or the operating means therefor in order to beactuated thereby substantially as shown in my patent re-- ferred to. Thebolt rods 25 at the opposite ends of the swing rail each extend to acrank lever 37 from which a connection 38 extends to a crank lever 39.The crank levers 39 for both bolt rods are connected to the operatingrod 40 which extends to one arm of a T- shaped lever 41, another arm ofwhich is connected by the rod 42 with any suitable point of operation,for instance a switch stand 43 as shown in Fig. 1. This structureproduces a simultaneous operation of the bolts.

Adjacent the tread of one rail of both the main and switch tracks is adetector bar 15 shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. This bar is mountedupon parallel links 46 disposed at proper distances apart and pivotallymounted at their lower ends in the attaching brackets 47 which aresecured to the rail in any desired manner, for instance by means of theclamps 48 upon which they are mounted. The detector bar for the maintrack is connected at 49 with one arm of the T- shaped lever 41, whilethe detector bar for the switch track is connected at 50 with a cranklever 51 which is also connected to the rod 4L2, through which the boltmechanism is operated. This detector bar normally lies below the treadof the rail as shown by full lines in Fig. I but is raised to the dottedline position whenever the bolts are withdrawn to release the swing railand again resumes its full line position when the bolts are reengagedwith the swing rail. As the detector bar is extended for a distance uponeach of the tracks, it cannot be raised to release the bolts if a trainis passing over the tracks as it would, in that event, engage the wheelsthereof.

In the operation of the invention when the parts are in the positionshown in Fig. 1, the bolts are first released to unlock the swing railand this action raises the detector bar above the tread of the rails.The switch lever to shift the swing rail is then operated and transmitsthe motion as shown by arrows in Fig. 1 to shift the swing rail intoalinement with the switch rail and at the same time shifts the switchpoints and closes the derailer. The lever for the locking mechanism isthen operated to throw the bolts into the housing carried by the swingrail, thus locking it in its shifted position and restoring the detectorbar to a position below the tread of the rail. It will be seen thatthese bolts cannot be released when a train is passing over either themain or switch tracks and they thus prevent the un locking of the switchbefore all of the cars have passed the swing rail. In restoring theparts to the position shown in Fig. 1, a reverse operation is effected.

The novel construction of angle plates for the swing rail provide aproper housing for the locking bolts and also a bearing for the shiftingof the rail which is permitted by the enlarged opening through which theholding strap passes.

It will thus be seen that the invention presents a simple, efiicient andeconomically constructed switch frog by which the swing rail and pointsmay be shifted and locked in position and the releasing thereofprevented during the passage of a train thereover.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a switch, a swing railprovided with an angle plate having bolt housings at each end of saidrail, oppositely movable bolts cooperating therewith, and means forsimultaneously moving said bolts.

2. In a switch, a swing rail provided with an angle plate having bolthousings at each end of said rail, oppositely movable bolts cooperatingtherewith, means for shifting said swin rail, bolts cooperating withsaid housings, an operating rod for said bolts, and connections fromsaid rod to effect a simultaneous movement of said bolts in oppositedirections.

3. In a switch, a swing rail provided with an angle plate having b-o-lthousings at each end of said rail, oppositely movable bolts cooperatingtherewith, means for shifting said swing rail, bolts cooperating withsaid housings, an operating rod for said bolts, crank levers connectedto said operating rod, crank levers connected to said bolts, and a connecting link between the crank levers of the operating rod and bolts.

4t. In a switch, a swing rail provided with an angle plate having bolthousings at each end of said rail, oppositely movable bolts cooperatintherewith, means for shifting said swing rail, bolts cooperating withsaid housings, an operating rod for said bolts, crank levers connectedto said operating rod, crank levers connected to said bolts, aconnecting link between the crank levers of the operating rod and bolts,a crank lever connected with one end of said operating rod, and anoperating connection to said last mentioned lever.

5. In a switch, a swing rail, angle plates having bolt housings at each.end and disposed on opposite sides of said rail, and bolts cooperatingwith said housings.

6. In a switch, a swing rail, angle plates having bolt housings at eachend and disposed on opposite sides of said rail, bolts cooperating withsaid housings, and spacer blocks disposed between the adjacent main andswitch track rails and provided with an aperture to receive said bolts.

7. In a switch, a swing rail, an angle plate having a seat upon itsinner face to receive one side of the base of said rail and an aperturetherethrough with a depending bearing lug, and bolt housings disposed atthe opposite ends upon the outer face of said plate.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. WALLS.

W'itnesses B. F. ST. JOHN, FRANK DUNLEVY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

